Saturday, September 21, 2013

Eden GardensResource Review

Marie-Therese Wisniowski

Introduction"Eden Gardens" is an interesting venue to hold an art exhibition since its primary objective is to invigorate your sensual perceptions along the boundaries between art and nature. As one aspect of my art continuum is “Environmental Art” using my MSDS technique and disperse dyes on a delustered polyester medium, you would think that my artwork would be a natural fit for such a venue. However, sometimes complementaries can meld rather than distinctively disturb and sharpen one’s senses with respect to the act of engagement because the Gardens are also filled with sculptures that generate a similar voice.

Eden Gallery is a unique, but captured space. So it is within these two different captured spaces – the Gardens and Eden Gallery – that provide real contrasting atmospheres. In each of these spaces, it is the plants that dominate the senses and so my environmental art in such a setting becomes a conscious expression and obsession of the fragility of three-dimensional life that is no longer truly unfettered. Will the last wilderness become a plot within a garden setting that is surrounded by suburbia? The philosophy of my “Environmental Art” strives to prick your consciousness in order not to allow this to happen! Education - via Art or Garden - is a very powerful transforming medium that can create an understanding of why sustainability is a necessary gift for life in general.

Marie-Therese with her diptych - Sequestration of CO2 - at Eden Gallery.

It is therefore incumbent on me - before I show you my retrospective exhibition (which is next week's post) – I need to give you a feel for Eden Gardens.

The PlaceEden Gardens & Garden Centre is located only 20 minutes from Sydney’s CBD. It is situated on 2.5 hectares (over 6 acres) in North Ryde and is set against the trees of Lane Cove National park.

Eden Gardens in the foreground and a crane of North Sydney in the background.

Australian entrepreneur Simon Ainsworth is the founder and Managing Director of Eden Gardens. He opened the award winning flagship center at the end of 2004. It has since won numerous awards.

Simon Ainsworth.

It contains all elements of the Eden Gardens business model; that is, a commitment to provide contemporary living solutions, quality products, friendly service and through their efforts in horticulture and education, they are committed to making their community a better place. Currently the center employs over 80 staff.

Eden Gardens.

Designed by Architect Lionel Glenenning, the main building is a modern, architecturally striking design. Built with sustainability in mind, the center’s buildings allow as much natural light as possible and moreover, assists the airflow to circulate. It generates some solar power, which is used to heat water, thereby reducing its reliance on carbon emission electricity usage.

Front façade of the entrance into the Eden Garden complex.

The Display GardensThe Display Gardens was designed by landscape Architect Jon Shinkfield. It features a man made reservoir containing rainwater collected and recycled from the gardens and used to flush toilets and water plants in the Garden Centre and Display Gardens. The North Ryde site previously contained a brick pit and the existing Display Gardens features a tower constructed from bricks made there.

The layout of Eden Gardens in North Ryde.

Daffodil Garden Dispay.

Looking down on hedges from the aerial walkway.

Garden vistas suddenly come into view.

Open structured tunnel often used as a bridal or groom entry into a open air wedding ceremony.

Outside room that looks onto a garden setting.

Water feature along a walk way.

A formal water feature/walkway.

The FacilitiesEden Garden also offers a number of facilities from conference meetings to outside tutorials on gardening to gift shops to a café (Dragonfly Café) to an art gallery.

Patrons of the Dragon Fly café – outside seating.

Patrons inside the Dragon Fly Café.

Hmmm – yum, yum!

Further outside eating facilities.

The Gift shop.

Another view of the shop.

Outside setting for garden tutorials.

The Greek amphitheatre.

Oh yes - they do sell plants!

The Art in the GardenSculpture features heavily in Eden Gardens. It is a natural fit since it structures the Gardens into boundaries of sorts. As you meander from one garden vista to another the sculptural forms anchor the artistic and garden spaces into distinct atmospheres. Not all of the sculptural forms will be listed here, rather a taster on what is offered will give you a glimpse of the artistic narrative.

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2018 CrossXpollinatioN Exhibition - Journey's

Marie-Therese has been invited to be a 'Feature Artist' at the '2018 CrossXpollinatioN' exhibition which is themed 'Journey's'. Her ArtCloth Installation 'Timelines: An Environmental Journey' will be exhibited at the Colac Otway Performing Arts & Cultural Centre, Colac, Victoria from the 7th - 29th July 2018. The installation will feature works employing her signature MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS) technique on synthetic fibres.Click on the image to see how the Gondwana II was created.

Art Quill Studio @ Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair.

2018 Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair at the International Convention Centre, Sydney, from the 20th – 24th June.Art Quill Studio can be found at stand no. G29_LP1 where my unique and contemporary hand dyed, hand painted and hand printed ArtCloth fabric lengths, fat quarters, fabric samplers and scarves will be available as well as my one-off/limited edition digitally designed ArtCloth fabric lengths.Click on the image to view some of my fabric lengths and the techniques used to make them.

I have uploaded a new Glossary on my blogspot.The Glossary of Paper, Photography, Printing, Prints and Publication Terms is highly focused, containing definitions and terms pertinent to the specific categories in the title. Click on the image to access it!

MEMORIESWoven Heritage Exhibition

Marie-Therese's ArtCloth print, 'Memories' is included in the Zayed University Permanent Collection Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Click on the image to read about Marie-Therese's artwork/technique which was previously exhibited at a solo exhibition at Sydney's Eden Garden Gallery.

About Me

I work full time as a studio artist, researcher, author, curator, speaker and tutor. I am also the Director of Art Quill Studio, The Education Division of Art Quill & Co. Pty. Ltd. at Arcadia Vale, NSW, Australia. I teach as a casual lecturer at The University of Newcastle (Australia) and I am the former co-editor of Textile Fibre Forum art magazine.

Employing my signature techniques I specialize in the area of ArtCloth, artist printmaker books and limited edition prints.

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My Most Visited Posts"When Rainforests Ruled" - ArtCloth Exhibition

My Scarves @ The Australian Craft Awards

My unique, hand dyed and printed silk rayon velvet and pashmina scarves are available for purchase. To purchase a scarf please contact - studio@artquill.com.au.Click on the image above to see my velvet ArtCloth scarves.

Welcome to Art Quill Studio

Art Quill Studio is a trademark of Art Quill & Co P/L, which is an Australian Company with no subsidiaries outside of Australia.

This blog will be dedicated to arousing world wide interest in: (a) using the medium of cloth to create a work of art; (b) promoting works on paper; (c) exploring concepts that are the basis of my current artworks; (d) offering opinions on art issues; (e) providing art resources to the public at large.